Weather for the week of January 8th

The week of January 8th began a cold Sunday with highs in the upper teens. There were numerous snow showers and the wind chill stayed below 0 for most of the day. On Monday the highs will only reach into the high teens with the wind chill barely breaking into double digits. On Tuesday expect some snow in the afternoon with highs in the highs 20’s. More snow will accumulate overnight turning to sleet or freezing rain by Wednesday morning. On Wednesday the precipitation will turn to rain by late morning with highs in low 40’s. The warming trend will continue on Thursday when the highs will reach the mid-40’s with more rain throughout the day. The precipitation should end by Friday but the “war,” weather will stick around for one more day with highs in the mid 40’s. By Saturday the temperatures again drop and precipitation will fall as an icy mix. The highs on Saturday will only teach into the high 20’s. Be sure you are dressed appropriately in clothing which will wick away moisture to keep you from developing a chill in colder temperatures. Clothes that have pit zips are great and layering with non-cotton materials are a must for the varying temperatures. Keeping hydrated in cooler weather can sometimes be tricky as you do not feel as thirsty but hydrating properly will allow you to hike longer and in greater comfort. It is also time to start bringing along the spikes or crampons since the melting and refreezing can cause spectacular areas of ice on the trails. Snowshoes will be useful especially at higher elevations where snow fell instead of rain. Be sure to carry water with you as local water sources can be unreliable and may be contaminated. Once you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated! Remember, the weather forecast is only a prediction and always contains percentages. Be prepared and have a plan for the most likely and least likely forecast! Are you prepared to stay out overnight on a trail? Conditions in the morning can change drastically by afternoon. Conditions at the trailhead do not always reflect the conditions on the peaks! Variable trail and weather conditions are a hallmark of these mountains. BE CAREFUL AND BE PREPARED!